


insomniacs

by springhibiscus



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, Gender-Neutral My Unit | Byleth, Ghosts, Not Beta Read, Post-Time Skip, Spoilers, we die like men (as always), yknow. dimitri's whole appeasing the dead thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-14 03:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20185822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springhibiscus/pseuds/springhibiscus
Summary: Dimitri barely gets any sleep anymore.Byleth is afraid of falling asleep.





	1. the king of lions

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for chapter 11(?) of the BL path and beyond, but apart from ch11's ending, no major spoilers for the post-timeskip events.

Dimitri barely gets any sleep anymore.

That's not to say he doesn't try. Even _ he _ knows a monster like him can't go on forever without rest. But the ghosts keep him awake far, far too long for him to get any meaningful amount.

Each night he renews his vow to kill Edelgard, and each night they only leave him alone when it becomes the early morning. Then, like every other soldier living at Garegg Mach, he must be up at dawn.

On free days and nights, he haunts what remains of the cathedral. The ghosts speak more frequently there, breaking the silence around him. Nowadays he is rarely approached by actual people. He’s hard to be around, so everyone keeps a wide berth around him while he lingers in the cathedral, where Rhea used to stand.

Only Byleth actively searches him out and tries to coax him out of his conversations with his ghosts. But mostly he ignores them. He doesn't deserve their concern.

\--

Another quiet night in the cathedral.

Quiet steps echo from behind him.

“Go get some sleep.” Byleth’s voice sounds, echoing in the empty room.

“Leave me alone,” he grunts, not turning around, “I don't sleep.”

“You _ can't _ sleep,” they correct. “Let’s go make some tea. I remember Chamomile has always been your favourite, hasn't it?”

He scowls. “What do you not _ understand _? The Dimitri you knew is dead.”

“So I’ve been told.” they say dryly. “But _ this _ Dimitri will be dead if he doesn't get some rest.”

One of the lessons hammered into his memory from his academy days is the importance of breaks. And sleeping. Once, he had overexerted himself from constant training and studying so bad that Byleth had to step in and force him to stop for about a week.

It doesn't matter now, but he remembers the expression that had been on their normally blank face. A mix of disappointment and worry.

(These days, Byleth always seems to be worried about him.)

“Fine.” he relents, and lets Byleth lead him to the kitchen in the dining hall.

He hasn't forgotten what he must do for the dead, the goal he has been tirelessly working towards for the past nine years. But maybe he can spare a moment for respite.


	2. the ashen demon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for the BL path, chapters 17-18.
> 
> I wasn't going to write about more spoilers but I ended up having to do so because I couldn't find any inspiration elsewhere ...

Byleth is afraid of falling asleep.

That fear has been settling into them since they woke up and found out that almost five years had passed. A fear that when they wake up, more time than just hours will have passed. So Byleth stays up as late as they can, until they absolutely  _ must _ go to sleep. It’s becoming a dangerous habit, but at least they’re used to little sleep from their teaching days.

Waking up and finding out that everything they knew had changed was probably the scariest thing that had ever happened to them, hands down.

(Sometimes, their former students will bid them goodnight before heading off to their own quarters to sleep. And as pitiful as it is, Byleth almost envies them for being able to so easily close their eyes and drift into unconsciousness.)

Luckily, Dimitri also has insomnia of sorts. They sit with him in the cathedral, and even though he refuses to talk to them, his company is still nice. Maybe even comforting, because Byleth can always count on his presence in that formerly grand hall.

That only changes after the end of the Great Tree Moon. After Rodrigue takes a dagger meant for Dimitri. It reminds Byleth very painfully of their own father’s death. They aren't sure what to say to Dimitri, at first, and they are unable to approach Felix at all. 

Amongst the tragedy, the others seem glad that Dimitri is ‘back to normal’, but when he's been destructive and angry for so long, what can be considered normal or not?

With Dimitri’s change of heart comes a change of plans. Instead of heading to Enbarr, the army’s course is now set to the kingdom's capital.

If they fail in taking back Fhirdiad, then it’s the end of the line for all of them. So Byleth throws themself into planning, training, and attending strategy meetings. Sleep, unsurprisingly, is not one of Byleth’s top concerns.

One night, about a week and a half before they need to start heading out to the kingdom capital, Byleth is busy working on potential tactics and new formations for battalions in the conference room.

“You look like you're going to collapse,” someone notes from behind them. Byleth hadn't heard them approach, too lost in their planning.

Byleth looks up from their work, setting the quill they were holding down. “Dimitri.”

“Professor.” he says, and shoots them a pointed look.

“This is important,” they try to reason, and Dimitri frowns, shaking his head slightly.

“I’m sure you can finish it tomorrow. The hour has become quite late, after all,” he pauses for a moment. “...You should be sleeping.”

“I could say the same to you,” Byleth mutters. “Why are you awake, then?”

“I’m afraid they're keeping me up, as always,” he says, and Byleth feels more than guilty for having forgotten, no matter how momentarily.

_ Right, _ Byleth thinks. Dimitri’s ever-present ghosts. 

Dimitri clears his throat awkwardly. “In any case, Professor, I've noticed you haven't been sleeping much lately. Even when I was completely focused on revenge, when I let my bitterness and the regrets of the dead consume me, you were always there for me, awake at ungodly hours. You were my light in the darkness. Forgive me for prying, and making assumptions, but... do you happen to have trouble sleeping?”

(What happened to Byleth after that day five years ago has always been shrouded in mystery. Byleth barely understands it themself, how they seemingly disappeared into thin air. As far as they know, they spent the five years asleep. Byleth hasn’t told anyone their suspicions, but they figure if anyone should know, it should be Dimitri.)

“Yes,” they quietly confirm. “Since I woke up and found out that five years has passed.”

“I see,” Dimitri nods, and moves to sit on a chair next to them. “Thank you for telling me. If you don't plan on heading to bed soon, then… do you mind if I keep you company?”

“I’d welcome it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: no ghosts next time  
also me: *mentions them bc its Dimitri*
> 
> thanks for reading... i am hoping to actually write dimileth stuff soon instead of being a coward and hiding behind the & tag bc I can't write romantic things! lol
> 
> (also super fun fact: this chapter is 666 words long. *Claude voice* Nice!)

**Author's Note:**

> So... Dimitri's favourite tea during tea parties is chamomile tea (as far as I know). Charming, since it helps you sleep.... and post-timeskip he really looks like he needs it.
> 
> Also, I know Dimitri is just really cold to Byleth for like 6 chapters, but... i believe he can be a little nice. or at the very least accept the offer of tea to get them to leave him alone !!!
> 
> Part 2 will feature Byleth. No ghosts next time, I promise.


End file.
